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Physicians’ intentions to use digital tools–a comparative survey, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, in Southern Sweden

Olofsson, Sofia LU ; Karlsson, Fredric ; Pikkemaat, Miriam LU orcid ; Ekman, Björn LU orcid ; Rööst, Mattias LU ; Thulesius, Hans LU and Milos Nymberg, Veronica LU (2024) In Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
Abstract

Objectives: To describe changes in Swedish primary care physicians’ use of, attitudes and intentions toward digital tools in patient care between 2019 and 2022. Design: A survey using a validated questionnaire measuring physician’s intentions to use digital tools based on the theory of planned behavior. Setting: Sample of primary health care centers in southern Sweden. Subjects: Primary care physicians. Main outcome measures: Self-reported use and intentions to use, digital tools including digital consultations by text or video, chronic disease monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) and the associations between attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions to use digital tools, in 2019 compared... (More)

Objectives: To describe changes in Swedish primary care physicians’ use of, attitudes and intentions toward digital tools in patient care between 2019 and 2022. Design: A survey using a validated questionnaire measuring physician’s intentions to use digital tools based on the theory of planned behavior. Setting: Sample of primary health care centers in southern Sweden. Subjects: Primary care physicians. Main outcome measures: Self-reported use and intentions to use, digital tools including digital consultations by text or video, chronic disease monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) and the associations between attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions to use digital tools, in 2019 compared to 2022. Results: In both 2019 (n = 198) and 2022 (n = 93), physicians reported high intentions to use digital tools. Self-reported use of video was slightly higher in 2022 (p =.03). No other changes were seen in the self-reported use or behavioral intentions to use digital tools. Conclusion: The slow adoption of patient-related digital tools in Swedish primary health care does not seem to be explained by a low intention to use them among physicians. Future research on implementation of digital tools should include a focus on contextual factors such as organizational, technical and cultural barriers.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
COVID-19, digital health adoption, physician attitude, primary health care, survey, telemedicine, theory of planned behavior
in
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85192200108
ISSN
0281-3432
DOI
10.1080/02813432.2024.2346133
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
968cc333-05b7-4997-a922-ccfcfe7bcc99
date added to LUP
2024-05-14 15:23:49
date last changed
2024-06-11 18:07:14
@article{968cc333-05b7-4997-a922-ccfcfe7bcc99,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: To describe changes in Swedish primary care physicians’ use of, attitudes and intentions toward digital tools in patient care between 2019 and 2022. Design: A survey using a validated questionnaire measuring physician’s intentions to use digital tools based on the theory of planned behavior. Setting: Sample of primary health care centers in southern Sweden. Subjects: Primary care physicians. Main outcome measures: Self-reported use and intentions to use, digital tools including digital consultations by text or video, chronic disease monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) and the associations between attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions to use digital tools, in 2019 compared to 2022. Results: In both 2019 (n = 198) and 2022 (n = 93), physicians reported high intentions to use digital tools. Self-reported use of video was slightly higher in 2022 (p =.03). No other changes were seen in the self-reported use or behavioral intentions to use digital tools. Conclusion: The slow adoption of patient-related digital tools in Swedish primary health care does not seem to be explained by a low intention to use them among physicians. Future research on implementation of digital tools should include a focus on contextual factors such as organizational, technical and cultural barriers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olofsson, Sofia and Karlsson, Fredric and Pikkemaat, Miriam and Ekman, Björn and Rööst, Mattias and Thulesius, Hans and Milos Nymberg, Veronica}},
  issn         = {{0281-3432}},
  keywords     = {{COVID-19; digital health adoption; physician attitude; primary health care; survey; telemedicine; theory of planned behavior}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care}},
  title        = {{Physicians’ intentions to use digital tools–a comparative survey, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, in Southern Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2024.2346133}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/02813432.2024.2346133}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}